Reviews tagging 'Death'

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

120 reviews

chloelai12's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Wow this woman can write politics. One of the most complicated and enriched fantasy worlds I’ve read. 

I will start by saying I want Nahri to destroy the lives of every single one of those men. My girl didn’t deserve any of that. Dara had me in the first half and I was rooting for him whilst Ali annoyed me for 60% of the book. But you lost me at the forced coercion my guy. And actually, as much of a self righteous brat Ali could be, he was the only one was truthful to Nahri when everyone else lied to her face but still expected the most from her.
I hope if anything (though I doubt it will happen) that Nahri rinses these men for filth, takes over the city for herself but keeps Ali as a friend because she does not need that stress . 
I’m still pretending those ears aren’t a thing.

ALSO IM RIHJT ABOUT THE UNCLE DAD?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

saracat's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I devoured this book. If I had started this book at the beginning of a weekend, I would not have slept before finishing it. 

I did listen to the audiobook, so sometimes I lost track of who was who since many of the characters have titles and/or nicknames that they are called by.  But, typically, back tracking about 30 seconds after pausing to think about who was in the scene typically straightened things out for me. 

I loved the main characters and was really drawn in to the story. I really appreciated how one of the main characters just didn’t automatically become perfect at something simply because of some innate abilities. I also loved how grey things felt. 

I can’t wait to jump into the next book. Especially after the epilogue in this one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Slavery, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Genocide, Racism, Rape, Torture, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol

ko_rax's review

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty is the first part of The Daevabad Trilogy and accompanies two opposing figures: A con woman with a natural affinity for healing, who is swept up by a world of magic, mythological creatures and ancient djinn, and magical heritage, and a royal prince, who is torn between his morals and loyalties.

Oh, what a read! I was so invested and time flew by.
Truthfully, the world build is vast, and throughout the first ten chapters or so it was difficult for me to remember important details concerning the relation-& allyships between mythological beings.  However, as the story advanced, things added up on their own. I also liked the pacing, it fit the events well. Personally, my favourite element of this book is its character building and development. The majority of the characters were believable to me, especially Alizayd

(his inner turmoil made so much sense!)

.

Will pick up the second book as well!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Slavery, Religious bigotry, and War

Minor: Rape and Self harm

gemma_hale's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Brilliant world-building and complicated characters

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

mice_are_nice's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Genocide, Sexual content, and Alcohol

Minor: Rape

kornwaiisms's review against another edition

adventurous tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

i am devastated (this book is fantastic) here's a few thoughts!

- so strong in its writing and story from start to finish, when i tell you it got me hooked,, (if you say it's boring even in the slightest did we read the same book?)
- the characters are SO intricately written i want to see more of all of them (yes even the ones that pissed me off

*guh guh dara guh guh*

)
- i must admit i need a history book to understand and study the history of this world completely but IT'S OKAY WE'RE VIBING
- ..what WAS that last part. WHAT WAS IT. i'm on the floor sobbing i just want my little darling characters to be ok
 
special notes to the characters:

1. NAHRI SHOW THEM WHAT YOU GOOOOOT
2. ali pls survive
3. jamshid pls survive
4. muntahdir pls don't do anything stupid

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death and Slavery

Minor: Sexual violence

taliaalongi's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Murder, and War

Moderate: Rape

_forestofpages's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I absolutely loved this world. The characters were so interesting and complex, and I am excited to see where they go in the series. The world building was excellent and always delivered in a believable and not info-dumping way. I was immersed from the first page and intrigued with how everything would come together. The pacing was great! It never got too slow and there was just enough action, but the parts I liked best were inside Daevabad. The political aspect and the second POV was the real elevator for me. Ali and his whole family, the opposing ideals and his ridigness and how he grows was amazing to watch.

Now, why it isn't a higher rating:

I did feel at times that Nahri for all her experience with thieves and conmen, she was blind when it came to Dara and the royals. This character in particular, felt passive at times when she shouldn't be (based on her fiery personality) and aggressive when she REALLY shouldn't have been (like when she knew she was in danger and should keep quiet), which would have been fine except her whole career (as a con artist) was based on trickery and charisma, knowing when to speak and how. And yet, as soon as she was with Dara all of that was out the window. She was inconsistent, so as a character I didn't know if I really liked her or not since she went back and forth with her personality. 

Also Dara being a liar the whole book made me unsure if I could like him either. I never knew where he would land, what side he was on, or what his real motives were and because this wasn't revealed in book 1 and he is (for now) gone, I can't really say how I feel about him. I can tell you the romance between Dara and Nahri also did nothing for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, and War

Minor: Child death, Rape, and Sexual assault

dreadspawn's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Rape

clarehiyama's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I really enjoyed this world! Boy, are the characters FLAWED, but I loved a lot of them anyway. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail